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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY 
AILMENTS 



By 

EMELYN LINCOLN COOLIDGE, M. D. 

Author of 'The Mothers" Manual and Editor of The 
Babies' Department of the Ladies" Home Journal, 
Formerly House Physician of The Babies* Hos- 
pital, NeiAJ York City; Attending Physician 
in Diseases of Children and Society 
of the Lying-in Hospital of the 
City of Ne^ York 



New and Revised Edition 



STURGIS & WALTON 
COMPANY 
1915 

All rights reserved 



1^^ 






Copyright, 1910, 1915 
By Emelyn Lincoln Cooudge 



New Edition set up and electrotyped. Published September, 1915 



nnj -I 1915 

©CI.A411757 



TO MOTHERS 



The aim of this little book is to assist young 
mothers in caring for their children when any 
of the simple ailments of the nursery arise, and 
to teach them how to act in an emergency. 

It is neither safe nor advisable for a mother 
to attempt to treat her own child when he is 
seriously ill; such is the province of the physi- 
cian only. 

Many are forced to live at great distances 
from a doctor however, and unless the mother 
has some idea what to do in the beginning of an 
illness much valuable time may be lost and the 
child's condition becomes really serious before 
the doctor can arrive. 

In such cases it is better to have a reliable 
guide at hand, than to depend upon the advice 
of neighbors. 

When travelling, or away from home during 
the summer vacation, the young mother is 

3 



TO MOTHERS 

often at a loss to know what to do, without the 
accustomed guidance of her physician; it is 
hoped that this book may be of assistance to 
her at such times. 

The drugs mentioned in the book are per- 
fectly harmless when used as advised (see page 
60) and are those that should be found in every 
nursery medicine chest. 

The subjects of Nursery Hygiene, Food, 

Clothing, etc., are not considered in this book, 

as they are fully treated in the author's book 

for mothers, entitled, The Mothers' Manual. 

— Emelyn Lincoln Coolidge, M. D. 

New York, August, 1910 



PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION 



The earlier edition of this little book has been 
received so graciously by mothers all over the 
United States and Canada that we are sending 
this new edition out with the hope that it may 
help many more homes. 

The object of the book is to help the mother 
to act in an emergency or when it is not possible 
to secure the services of a reliable physician. No 
mother should attempt to carry her child through 
a prolonged illness without the aid of a physician 
but in many cases prompt action by the mother 
in the beginning of an illness before a doctor can 
arrive, will ward off a more serious attack if it 
does not prevent the disease altogether. 

Great caution should be observed by all mothers 
when handling medicines, the directions given in 
this book should be minutely followed and then 

5 



PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION 

no bad results will occur. It Is much better to 
have a reliable guide at hand than to take the 
advice of neighbors. 

Many times minor illnesses may be most ef- 
fectually treated by changes in the food or gen- 
eral hygiene but there are times when medicine 
is required and until the doctor can arrive it is 
well for the mother to know what is best to give. 
Food, clothing, and general hygiene of the nurs- 
ery are fully treated of in the author's book, 
The Mother's Manual and are therefore not 
discussed in this little volume. 

— Emelyn Lincoln Coolidge, M. D. 

September, 191 5. 



CONTENTS 

To Mothers 3 

Preface to Second Edition 5 

Diarrhoea 9 

Constipation 11 

Colic 13 

Vomiting 14 

Headaches 17 

Care of Children's Teeth 18 

Toothache 19 

Convulsions 20 

Fevers 21 

Colds 26 

Bronchitis 27 

Croup 31 

Chills z^ 

Sore Throat Z3 

Enlarged or Swollen Glands of the Neck 36 

Bruises 37 

Sprains 38 

Cuts 39 

Burns 40 

Earache 41 

Nosebleed 42 

Foreign Bodies in the Nose 43 

Disorders of the Eye 43 

Styes 44 

Foreign Bodies in the Eye 45 

Sprue 45 

Ulcers or Cold Sores 46 

Foreign Bodies Swallowed and in the Throat ... 47 

Chafing 47 

Eczema 48 

Milk Crust 49 

7 



Boils 49 

Prickly Heat 50 

Hives 50 

Chapped Hands 51 

Scabies or Itch 51 

Ring Worm 52 

Lice or Vermin in the Hair S3 

Cold Sores or Fever Blisters S3 

Frost Bites and Chilblains 54 

Eruptions, Rashes and Contagious Diseases .... S4 

Measles S5 

German Measles S5 

Scarlet Fever 55 

Chicken Pox S5 

Diphtheria S^ 

Whooping Cough 56 

Mumps S7 

Poisons and Their Antidotes 57-^i 

Drugs Mentioned in the Book : Their Uses and 

Doses 62-70 

Albolene — Alcohol — Alum — Antiphlogistine 

— Balsam of Peru Ointment — Benzoin — Boric 
Acid — Borolyptol — Brandy — Brovi^n Mixture 

— Calomel — Castor Oil — Cold Cream — Elixir 
Lactopeptine — Epsom Salts — Glycerine — Ich- 
thyol — Iodine — Ipecac — Iron — Lassar's 
Paste — Liquid Peptonoids — Manhattan Gargle 

— Mercury — Milk of Magnesia — Mustard — 
Nitre — Olive Oil — Potash — Pumice Stone — 
Resorcin Ointment — Rhinitis — Rochelle Salts 

— Rhubarb — Soda Bicarbonate — Soda Mint 
Tablets — Unguentine — Vaseline — Whiskey — 
White Precipitate Ointment — Witch Hazel. 

Index 71 

8 



First Aid in Nursery Ailments 



Diarrhoea 

When an infant or a child has diarrhoea the 
first thing to be done is to stop all milk, and to 
give barley, rice or granum water in its place. 
If the baby is over six months old, one or two 
feedings of mutton broth may be substituted 
for the gruel, or better still, half gruel and half 
broth may be given. For medicine give one 
teaspoonful of castor oil for an infant under one 
year; from one to five years give a dessert 
spoonful; after this age a tablespoonful. Give 
it on an empty stomach if possible and it will 
be more apt to stay down and not be vomited. 
Give the child plenty of water to drink. The 
day after the castor oil has been given it is 
often well to give spiced syrup of rhubarb. A 
baby under one year may have ten drops every 
three hours for one or two days ; after this age 
twenty drops every three hours may be given. 
If after this treatment there is still diarrhoea 
or any fever it is well to give calomel; one 
tenth of a grain every hour for ten doses may 

9 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

be given a baby of six months to one year; 
after this age one fifth of a grain every hour 
for five doses may be given. For children over 
one year it is best to give something the next 
morning after the calomel to carry off any of 
it that may remain in the system. Rochelle or 
Epsom salts are usually given for this purpose, 
and these salts must be given in water before 
breakfast. The dose of Epsom salts is one- 
half teaspoonf ul for a child of eighteen months ; 
for a child of three years one teaspoonful. The 
dose of Rochelle salts for the same ages is one- 
half teaspoonful to two teaspoonfuls. 

If there is mucous or blood in the movements, 
or much gas and distention of the abdomen it 
will be best to wash out the child's bowels. 
For this purpose use the fountain syringe with 
a long, soft rubber catheter attached to it. 
Place the child on a table on his left side. Put 
a rubber cloth under him, letting this hang over 
the edge of the table into a basin so the water 
will run into this. Put into the fountain syringe 
one quart of salt solution (one teaspoonful of 
salt to a pint of boiled water) and hang it about 
three feet higher than the table. Give the irriga- 
tion at a temperature of 98 degrees. Lubricate 
the catheter with oil or vaseline and gently insert 

10 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

it into the rectum for about one inch, then turn 
on the water and gradually work the catheter 
up higher until at least nine inches have been 
inserted. Let the water flow in and out as it 
will, thus washing out the intestines. When no 
more water is left in the syringe detach the cath- 
eter from the rest of the syringe but leave it in 
the intestines and then gently knead the abdo- 
men until all the water is out of them; then 
pinch the catheter and draw it out quickly. 
Once daily is enough for this irrigation of the 
bowels. 

If after these simple remedies have been tried 
for twenty-four hours the baby does not seem 
much improved a doctor should be called in 
at once. It is dangerous to allow diarrhoea to 
continue for any length of time. 

Constipation 

When a child is constipated the mother should 
try to regulate the bowels through the food first, 
before she resorts to medicines or enemas. 
Orange juice, prune juice, beef juice, oatmeal 
gruel, malted food added to the milk in place 
of sugar, cornmeal mush, equal parts of oat- 
meal and graham flour made into a mush, bran 
gems, and green vegetables if the child is old 

II 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

enough to eat them, are all laxative foods. 
Massage of the abdomen, plenty of water to 
drink before breakfast and between meals, 
laxative foods taken by the mother if the baby 
is being fed by the breast, are other methods 
often used when a baby or child is constipated. 
Placing the baby on a small chamber held in 
the mother's lap at exactly the same time after 
a meal every morning will often establish a 
regular habit of inducing the bowels to move. 
As a means of teaching the child what this 
is for, a soap stick may be gently inserted into 
the rectum. Only when all other means fail 
should the mother give medicine for constipa- 
tion. When this is absolutely necessary milk 
of magnesia is the safest laxative to give. It 
must be given either with the food in the milk 
or else diluted with an equal amount of water. 
A baby under one year will usually require 
one teaspoonful once or twice daily; after this 
age the dose may be increased to one table- 
spoonful if necessary. Try to give as small a 
dose as will be effectual in moving the bowels. 

Do not make the mistake of giving castor oil 
for constipation, for this only makes the child 
worse. 

If the trouble seems to be low down in the 

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FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

bowels as shown by soft movements but inability 
to pass them, try inserting a soap stick or a 
suppository, as advised above. If these do not 
have the desired eflfect give an injection with a 
little bulb syringe, using one teaspoonful of 
glycerine to one ounce of olive oil or one or two 
syringes full of tepid soapsuds. These injec- 
tions should never be given for any length of 
time, however, without the orders of a physician. 
They will often serve when the bowels must be 
moved quickly. 

Colic 

Many babies are subject to colic. If the 
attacks are frequent there is usually some fault 
with the food and to really cure the colic the 
difficulty with the food must be found out and 
remedied. In the breast-fed babies colic is 
often caused by nervousness or worry on the part 
of the mother or by very sour food which she 
may have eaten. For an attack of colic warm 
the baby's hands and feet, and give it an ounce 
of very warm water in which one half a soda 
mint tablet has been dissolved; heat a flannel 
and put it over the baby's stomach, or let him 
lie on a hot water bag. If the abdomen is hard 
and tense and seems to be full of gas, give an 

13 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

injection of hot water with the bulb syringe 
on which the rubber catheter has been placed. 
Oil the catheter >vell and gently insert it into 
the bowels, working it gradually up; when it 
is nearly all in then squeeze the bulb so that 
the hot water is injected; now remove the bulb 
syringe but leave the catheter in place in the 
bowels and gently kneed or massage the abdo- 
men until the water and gas with it is expelled, 
then remove the catheter. 

Vomiting 

Vomiting is caused by many different things 
and consequently the treatment must be 
varied, depending to a great extent upon the 
cause. In infants and young children who 
vomit, the food is generally at fault. A breast 
fed baby may be taking his food too often or 
too rapidly, or the mother's diet may be wrong, 
making the milk too rich. Perhaps the mother 
does not take enough exercise or she herself 
may be constipated; all these things must be 
thought of and corrected before one can hope 
to help the baby. It is often a good plan to 
give a nursing baby an ounce of boiled water 
just before each nursing. A tiny pinch of 
bicarbonate of soda may be added to the water. 

14 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

The same amount of barley water may also 
be given. If curds are vomited or found in 
the movements 20 drops of elixir lactopeptine 
may be added to the water or barley water. 

A bottle-fed baby who vomits may be using 
a nipple with too large a hole, may be having 
his food at too frequent intervals, or may be fed 
irregularly or else there may be something 
wrong with the composition of the food itself. 
Too much top milk or cream in the food will often 
cause vomiting, especially in warm weather. 
In such cases the interval between feeding 
should be increased, or the quantity at each meal 
lessened; a rubber nipple with a small hole may 
be used; a formula containing plain milk in- 
stead of top milk or cream should be tried; a 
little more lime water or bicarbonate of soda 
may be used in the formula of the food. If 
none of these suggestions help, then try the elixir 
lactopeptine, adding 20 drops to the bottle of 
food just before it is given to the baby. Should 
the vomiting still continue a doctor should be 
consulted at once. It may be necessary to wash 
out the baby's stomach or use other treat- 
ment which the mother is not capable of doing 
herself. 

When older children vomit it generally means 
15 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

an attack of indigestion, a regular bilious attack, 
or that one of the contagious diseases is 
beginning. 

One-tenth of a grain of calomel given every 
hour for ten or twelve doses followed by a dose 
of Epsom or Rochelle salts the next morning, 
is often needed to clear out the digestive tract. 
All milk must be stopped and gruels of barley 
or rice, mutton or chicken broths free from all 
fat and a little zwieback should be used for 
twenty- four hours. If even these cannot ;be 
retained koumyss, matzoon, or zoolak may be 
tried in doses of one or two ounces, or vichy 
water in small amounts given very cold may be 
used. Sometimes when everything else is vom- 
ited, liquid peptonoids will be retained. Small 
doses from fifteen to thirty drops, given in a 
little cold water or vichy every hour or two, 
many times will tide the child over for a day 
until the stomach is strong enough to retain 
other food. Even when other food can again 
be taken, it is advisable to continue the liquid 
peptonoids three or four times a day until the 
child has gotten back some of his lost strength. 

When vomiting is severe a mustard paste 
placed over the pit of the stomach, for five or 
ten minutes or until the skin is reddened, just 

i6 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

before the food is given will often enable the 
child to retain it when otherwise it would be 
vomited. 

When the vomiting ceases the usual diet 
should be resumed gradually. It is often well, 
for several days after such an attack, to give 
one-half to one teaspoonful of the rhubarb and 
soda mixture in a little water three times daily 
after meals. 

Headaches 

Children old enough to talk sometimes com- 
plain of headache without any definite cause 
being known. Headache in children often comes 
from indigestion or constipation. It is therefore 
a good rule to give the child a dose of castor 
oil or citrate or milk of magnesia, followed by 
rhubarb and soda mixture for a few days after- 
wards. This will often prove all that is needed. 
The usual diet should be reduced for a day 
or two and if there is really much pain the 
child should be kept in bed in a quiet room 
with a rather subdued light. Cold compresses 
or an ice bag may be kept on the head. A 
small mustard plaster made of one tablespoonful 
of mustard to six of flour and mixed up with a 
little cold water may be placed at the nape of 

17 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

the neck until the skin is well reddened. Head- 
aches often come from eye strain, so if the child 
is frequently troubled by them he should be 
taken to an oculist to have his eyes tested. 

Care of Children's Teeth 

A mother should be careful not to lay every 
ill during infancy to "only teething." But 
coming teeth no doubt do cause more or less 
trouble, at least with many babies. For hot, 
swollen gums dilute borolyptol with equal parts 
of water and frequently rub the gums with a 
piece of clean linen or absorbent cotton dipped 
in this solution. This will help take the heat 
out of the gums and will at any rate relieve the 
child a little. If there is diarrhoea or vomiting 
give a dose of castor oil and stop all milk for 
twenty- four hours at least, using a gruel instead. 
If the trouble still continues send for a doctor 
as it is not safe to allow the diarrhoea to run on. 

When the baby has ten or twelve teeth it is 
time to begin to use a small, soft, tooth brush. 
This should be dipped in borolyptol or boric acid 
solution and the teeth carefully brushed. When 
the child is two or three years old a reliable 
tooth powder may be used. If little black 
specks or a black rim is seen on the teeth it 

i8 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

may sometimes be removed by the use of 
powdered pumice stone. Firmly twist a small 
piece of absorbent cotton on the end of a wooden 
toothpick; after moistening it dip it in the 
pumice stone and with it rub the black specks 
until they disappear. 

The first, or milk teeth, should receive as 
careful attention as the permanent set. From 
the time the baby is two years old he should 
be taken to a dentist every six months and all 
cavities filled. If this is done the permanent set 
will be much better in every way. 

A child's teeth should be brushed after 
each meal. Dental floss may also be used to 
advantage. 

Toothache 

To relieve a toothache, dry heat should first be 
tried in the shape of a hot water bag held on the 
face. If this does not help try something very 
cold such as ice water held in the mouth or a 
small piece of ice wrapped in absorbent cotton and 
held over the gum where the tooth aches. Small 
dental plasters often give relief. The gum over 
the aching tooth should be dried first with a 
piece of cotton then the little plaster firmly 
pressed onto the gum until it will remain there 

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FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

by itself. If none of these remedies relieve the 
pain the child should be taken to a dentist. 

Convulsions 

The nervous system of infants and young 
children is very easily upset, hence they are quite 
subject to convulsions. Convulsions are many 
times caused by indigestion, approaching con- 
tagious diseases, high fevers, worms, and diseases 
of the brain. 

When a child has a convulsion the first thing 
to do is to send for a doctor as soon as possible, 
but until he can arrive the child should be un- 
dressed, put to bed and kept quiet. If there 
is an ice cap in the house it should be filled with 
cracked ice, wrapped in a thin towel and placed 
on the child's head. If there is no ice cap, 
cloths should be wrung out of ice water and 
kept on the head, changing them frequently so 
that they may be kept cold. The child's feet 
should be put in a mustard bath until they are 
red, then taken out and wrapped in a hot flannel 
and placed near a hot water bag. Towels wrung 
out in mustard water (one heaping tablespoonful 
of mustard to one quart of tepid water), may be 
wrapped about the child's body and left there 
until the skin is red. They should then be re- 

20 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

moved and the child wrapped in a blanket. This 
mustard pack disturbs the child less than a 
mustard bath, and it is best to let the doctor de- 
cide whether or not a bath should be given. If 
it is thought best to give a mustard bath, it 
may be prepared as follows: Care must be 
taken not to burn the child. The temperature 
of the water should be 105 degrees or hot enough 
to feel comfortable, but not burning hot to the 
tip of the mother's elbow. The skin on the 
mother's hand is often not sensitive enough to 
be able to tell whether the baby's tender skin 
can stand the heat or not. One-half a teacup ful 
of mustard to a small bath tub of water should be 
used and the child left in it long enough to 
redden the skin. As soon as the child can 
swallow, a dose of castor oil should be given. 
It is often well to irrigate the bowels with tepid 
water or salt and water as already described 
on page 10. It is best to give only boiled water 
for the first six hours after a convulsion, then for 
the next twenty-four hours at least the food 
should be light, such as gruels or broths. 

Fevers 

Babies and young children are very apt to have 
a fever from even small ailments, so the fact 

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FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

that a baby's temperature suddenly becomes 
elevated need not cause the alarm naturally felt 
with older patients. The fever, however, should 
not be allowed to run on without finding out 
the cause. Almost anything from teething to 
typhoid fever may cause a fever in a baby. Since 
the digestive tract is so easily upset in these 
young patients, we first look here for the cause 
and cut down the food; or give only barley 
water for twenty-four hours if the fever is 
high, 103 or over. For the same reason we give 
either castor oil or calomel in doses suitable to 
the child's age or if we wish an immediate action 
of the bowels, we also give an enema or high 
irrigation of soap suds and water with a bulb 
syringe or salt and water with the rubber catheter 
attached to the fountain syringe. The water 
should be 98 degrees F. in most cases, but 
may be colder if the fever is high and the 
patient very restless. A baby or child with 
fever should be undressed and put to bed and 
kept there as long as the temperature remains 
elevated. It is a great mistake to allow him 
to run about the room or to be constantly held 
in someone's arms. 

One of the best means of reducing fever is an 
alcohol sponge bath. One tablespoonful of al- 

22 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

cohol should be added to half a small basin of 
tepid water and with this the head, face and body- 
sponged. This may be repeated every two or 
three hours if necessary. It will often induce 
a quiet sleep. An ice cap filled partly full of 
finely cracked ice and wrapped in cheese cloth 
may be placed on the child's head if he is rest- 
less and uncomfortable from a high fever. If 
the fever cannot be reduced by the above means 
and rises to io6 degrees it will often be neces- 
sary to give the child an ice pack. This, how- 
ever, must be done only by order of a physi- 
cian. If there is no nurse available the mother 
herself may have to give it. A rubber sheet 
should be placed on the bed and a pad over 
it. The child should be stripped and wrapped in 
a sheet wrung out of tepid water. He should 
then be "ironed" with small pieces of ice 
about the size of one's fist. The entire body 
should be gone over in this fashion several 
times especially under the arms and in the groin. 
The ice of course should not touch the bare skin 
of the child, only the wet sheet in which he is 
wrapped. If the child grows blue or shivers 
much this ironing should be stopped at once 
and the wet sheet removed. A warm blanket 
should be substituted and hot water bottles 

23 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

placed at the child's feet. If the child's color 
remains good the rubbing may be kept up from 
five to ten minutes, then he should be left 
wrapped in the sheet a half hour, at which time 
the temperature should be taken again and if 
it is lower the sheet should be removed and the 
ice cap left on the head for an hour or so longer. 
At any time when the feet and hands are cold 
and the child has a fever, hot water bags should 
be placed near them while the ice cap should be 
left on the head. This will often prevent a 
convulsion. 

When the child has a full, bounding pulse 
and seems very uncomfortable from fever in 
spite of the sponge baths, etc., sweet spirits of 
nitre may sometimes be given with benefit, but it 
is best to let the doctor order this. To a baby 
under one year old three drops in a teaspoonf ul of 
water may be given every three hours, five drops 
to a child from one to three years old and ten 
drops to older children. All drugs for reduc- 
ing fever are dangerous to a greater or less ex- 
tent and mothers should beware of such and 
should not try any experiments with them, with- 
out explicit orders from the doctor in charge. 

Every mother should know how to use a 
clinical thermometer. It is impossible to judge 

24 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

accurately as to the child's fever by simply 
touching him. It is foolish to take a baby's tem- 
perature every day, if he is not at all ill, but 
when there are any symptoms of illness, it is 
one of the first things that should be done. If 
the child is under four years of age the temper- 
ature should be taken in the rectum. The 
thermometer should be well oiled with vaseline, 
then introduced about an inch into the rectum and 
allowed to remain there from one to three 
minutes according to the make of the thermome- 
ter used. After the thermometer has been read 
it should be carefully shaken down in order to 
be ready for the next time. It should be 
washed in alcohol and cold water, and placed in 
its case where it may be kept very clean. Older 
children may have the temperature taken by 
placing the thermometer under the tongue and 
closing the lips about it. The temperature in 
the mouth, however, is lower than a rectal 
temperature. 

If it is possible to reach a doctor every case 
of fever over loo F. should be reported to him. 
Many of the contagious diseases begin with 
fever and a physician, not the mother, should 
be the one to judge as to the best method of 
procedure in such cases. The doctor cannot be 

25 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

present all the time, however, and if the mother 
knows how to intelligently use a thermometer it 
will be much better for everyone concerned. 
Well-trained children do not object to having 
their temperature taken if the mother goes 
about it in an entirely matter-of-fact manner 
and does not instill the dread of it into the 
child's mind. A child who has been taught 
implicit obedience from the start stands a much 
better chance of recovery when he is very ill, 
because he does not waste valuable strength in 
struggles over every little thing that must be done 
for him. 

Colds 

The first thing to do when a baby or child 
has a cold is to give him a dose of castor oil. 
One teaspoonful is enough for a baby under a 
year old. To a baby from one to two years of 
age two teaspoonfuls may be given. After this 
time a tablespoon ful will be needed. The castor 
oil helps to carry off the mucous which the 
child cannot expectorate and clears out the intes- 
tines generally. If there is any fever with the 
cold the child should be kept in bed and the 
food diluted. Often if given at the very be- 
ginning of a cold, rhinitis tablets are helpful. 

26 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

For children the half strength should be used 
and one tablet given every hour for half a day 
or even for one whole day if necessary. If the 
child flushes much the medicine should be 
stopped. Warm olive oil dropped up the nose of 
a baby or child who has a cold in the head is 
often beneficial in clearing out the breathing 
passages. Spraying the nose with a mild anti- 
septic solution like borolyptol diluted with two 
parts of water or using liquid albolene in a 
spray several times a day will often add much 
to the child's comfort. This is about all that 
can be done for a simple cold in the head. To 
prevent frequent colds the child should be accus- 
tomed to plenty of fresh air, but should not be 
allowed to be in drafts. A cold sponging of the 
throat and neck every morning followed by a 
brisk rub are helpful. A child who has fre- 
quent colds should always be examined for ade- 
noids and enlarged tonsils and if they are found, 
a nose and throat doctor should remove them 
as there is danger of deafness if they are allowed 
to remain. 

Bronchitis 

When a cold extends down into the bronchial 
tubes and there is a cough and wheezing on the 

27 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

chest it is known as *' bronchitis '' and great care 
must be taken or it will turn into pneumonia. 
The first steps in the treatment are the same 
as for colds already described on page 24, but 
in addition to this something must be done for 
the cough and wheezing on the chest which often 
makes the breathing very difficult. The best 
thing for this is to make a mustard paste out of 
English mustard (one tablespoonful of the mus- 
tard and six of flour) mixed with a little cold 
water like a cake batter. This paste should be 
spread between two layers of muslin long enough 
to reach all the way around the child's chest, 
back and front, covering the chest completely. 
Before the paste is put on the child it should be 
warmed a little by holding it near the fire. The 
paste should be left on for five or ten minutes, 
long enough to redden the skin well, but not 
long enough to burn the child. It should then 
be removed and the chest wiped dry and rubbed 
with a little warm olive oil. This treatment 
may be used three or four times a day if it 
seems to relieve the breathing, but the child must 
be kept in bed and not allowed to go out of 
doors for at least one or two days after the 
treatment. 

Inhalations of steam with one teaspoonful of 
28 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

compound tincture of benzoin in the water will 
often relieve an irritating cough. A Httle steam 
vaporizer or inhaler is best to use for this and 
a tent may be made by draping a large sheet 
over the crib, or if this seems to frighten the 
child or to be too much for him the steamer may 
be held near him so that the steam blows in his 
face but does not bum him. He should never 
be left alone for one moment while the steam 
inhalation is being given, for serious results 
might occur. It is generally best to give the 
steam for ten or fifteen minutes at a time, and it 
may be repeated as often as every three hours if 
the cough is severe. If necessary an ordinary- 
tea kettle may be substituted for the vaporizer. 

If the cough is still frequent and serious after 
the steam and mustard pastes have been used 
it may be necessary to give medicine, in which 
case brown mixture is about the best thing for 
a baby or a child. A baby under one year may 
be given fifteen drops of brown mixture every 
three hours; a child from one to three years 
may have one-half teaspoonful every three hours ; 
and an older child one teaspoonful. If there 
is much fever the child should be given a tepid 
sponge bath. Every time the temperature 
reaches 102 or 103 degrees, if he is at all restless, 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

give the bath, as this cool sponge will soothe 
him and help reduce the fever. One tablespoon- 
ful of alcohol to a small basin of tepid water may 
be used for the sponging. This is much better 
than giving medicine to bring down the fever. 
If this does not answer, however, and the child 
is burning hot and very restless with a strong 
throbbing pulse some sweet spirits of nitre in 
water may be tried. For a baby under six 
months old, three drops in a teaspoonful of cold 
water may be given every three hours; from 
six to twelve months five drops every three 
hours may be used ; from one to three years ten 
drops may be given every three hours; even in 
an older child this will usually be all that is 
safe to give. This must not be kept up for 
more than one day unless by the doctor's orders. 
If there is much mucous present it is well to give 
castor oil every two or three days to clear out 
the mucous that will accumulate. Sometimes 
calomel may be given in place of the castor oil, 
especially if the child has a tendency to consti- 
pation. One-tenth of a grain every hour for 
ten doses is usually the best proportion. For 
an older child it should be followed up the next 
morning by a dose of either the citrate or the 
milk of magnesia or else Epsom or Rochelle salts. 

30 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

A doctor should be in attendance on every 
case of bronchitis but the above suggestions may 
be tried if a physician is not accessible for sev- 
eral days, as sometimes occurs in remote places. 
An examination of the chest by a doctor is very 
necessary for it is often very difficult to tell 
whether the attack is bronchitis alone or whether 
there is pneumonia present. 

A good tonic of cod liver oil or iron is gener- 
ally needed after bronchitis. 

Croup 

Croup generally comes on very suddenly, 
most often at night when the child is wakened 
from a sound sleep by a harsh, metallic cough 
that sounds like a bark. There is also more or 
less difficulty in breathing. If the child can be 
made to vomit quickly the attack will be much 
relieved. Syrup of ipecac is generally used for 
this purpose. For a baby under one year two 
drops of syrup of ipecac may be given every 
fifteen minutes until the child vomits; from one 
to two years five drops every fifteen minutes 
until vomiting occurs ; in later childhood as much 
as ten or fifteen drops may be given until the 
ropy mucous is vomited. 

If the ipecac is not at hand a little mustard 
31 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

dissolved in lukewarm water may be given the 
child to produce vomiting. Inhalations of steam 
are of the greatest value in croup. To be most 
effectual it is best to put the child in a tent as 
described on page 29. Either the plain steam 
or steam with compound tincture of benzoin in 
the water may be used, the inhalation may be 
kept up half an hour or longer until the child's 
breathing is relieved. One or two teaspoonfuls 
of castor oil should also be given after the 
mucous is vomited because this will move the 
bowels and help to carry off any mucous that 
may remain. 

A child should not be allowed to go out of 
doors the next day after an attack of croup and 
it is usually best to begin to give small doses of 
ipecac about three or four o'clock on the day 
succeeding the real attack, for in this way an- 
other attack may be warded oflf. Two to five 
drops every two or three hours are usually 
enough to give at this time. 

Chills 

Children are not so apt to have chills as 
adults. But when chills occur undress the 
child, wrap him in a heated blanket and give 
him a mustard foot bath, letting the water come 

3^ 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

well up over the legs. Or he may be put in a 
mustard bath, then wrapped in hot blankets. 
For this bath one-half cupful of English mustard 
to a tubful of water may be used or one table- 
spoonful to a gallon of water. The child should 
be left in the bath only long enough to redden 
the skin. Hot lemonade may also be given. 
Chills may mean that the child has malaria, 
that one of the contagious diseases is coming on 
or that he has caught a severe cold, a cold 
which may possibly be followed by pneumonia. 
It is therefore best to keep the child in bed for 
at least a day after the chill and carefully watch 
for other symptoms to develop. 

Sore Throat 

When a child has a sore throat the safest 
thing to do is to call in a doctor as soon as pos- 
sible to examine the throat. He alone can tell 
just what form of " sore throat " the child may 
have. Since children are subject to diphtheria, 
in case of sore throat, it is a great deal safer to 
have a physician's opinion whenever it is pos- 
sible. There are times, however, when a doctor 
is not accessible and in such cases the mother 
may treat the throat as follows until her doctor 
can arrive. — No matter what form of sore throat 

33 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

the child may have he should be kept away 
from other children. A laxative should be given 
to clear out the intestines; castor oil, calomel, 
or citrate of magnesia may be used. If there 
are any spots in the throat the calomel, followed 
the next morning by magnesia, is to be preferred. 
A cold compress made from several layers of 
cheese cloth wrung out of witch hazel and cov- 
ered with a piece of oil silk should be placed 
around the child's throat, and changed often 
enough to keep it cool and wet. It is best to 
keep the child in bed and on a fluid diet or soft 
food if he is old enough to take such things as 
cereals, junket, blancmange, wine jelly or milk 
toast. As a local treatment, if the child is old 
enough, have him gargle every hour or two with 
any of the following gargles ; — Manhattan gargle 
(one tablet dissolved in a third of a glass of 
hot water) ; or equal parts of borolyptol and cold 
water; or as much chlorate of potash as can be 
gotten on a ten cent piece, in half a glass of 
cold water. If the child cannot gargle then 
any of the above may be used in a spray or 
atomizer. I much prefer the Manhattan gargle 
to anything else but it must be used as hot as 
can be borne to be effectual. It is valuable in 
follicular tonsillitis. If the spots do not yield 

34 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

to the $pray alone, or if there Is very much 
swelling of the tonsils and spots also in the 
throat, it will be necessary to swab the throat. 
This may be done with two parts of glycerine 
mixed with one part of tincture of the chloride 
of iron. For this purpose a piece of absorbent 
cotton should be very firmly twisted on a small 
stick of wood notched at the end so the cotton 
will not slip off. The cotton should be dipped 
in the mixture of iron and glycerine and then 
the spots and tonsils gently but thoroughly 
touched. This may be repeated every four or 
six hours, at the same time continuing the use 
of the spray or gargle. If a sore throat proves 
to be diphtheria, the early use of antitoxine 
means so much to the patient that every effort 
should be made to administer it early in the 
attack. Therefore, too much stress cannot be 
laid upon getting a doctor's opinion as soon as 
possible. If there is much fever with the sore 
throat there is less likelihood of its being diph- 
theria than if there is little or none. To con- 
trol the fever and make the child comfortable 
frequent sponge baths with a little alcohol in 
tepid water may be given; also if the pulse is 
full and throbbing and the child very uncom- 
fortable sweet spirits of nitre may be given; five 

35 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

drops in a teaspoon ful of water every three hours 
for a child under two years, or ten drops for 
older children. 

Enlarged or Swollen Glands of the Neck 

After grip, a severe cold, or tonsillitis, the 
glands of the neck frequently enlarge, becoming 
much swollen and sometimes hard and painful. 
The inflammation may go on to such an extent 
that the gland will break down, pus form, or a 
regular abscess result or they may absorb. 
As enlargement of the glands of the neck often 
occurs with diphtheria, it is always well for a 
doctor to see the child as soon as possible, but 
if a doctor cannot be quickly obtained the 
mother should look down the child's throat 
herself, and if no membrane or white spots are 
visible she may try one of the following things 
to reduce the swelling. — First try a cold com- 
press of equal parts of witch hazel and water, 
bound onto the gland and covered by a piece 
of oil silk or rubber tissue. This must be 
changed often enough to keep the compress 
really cold. A small ice bag may be bound on 
while the child is in bed. Next try antiphlo- 
gistine spread on a piece of compress or gauze 
folded and applied as hot as possible without 

36 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

burning the child. This should be changed 
every four or six hours. As the swelling sub- 
sides a little ichthyol ointment (twenty per 
cent) may be spread on a piece of folded gauze 
and bound onto the gland. This should be 
changed every six hours. After the swelling 
has almost disappeared to massage the gland 
night and morning for a few minutes with a 
little warm olive oil on the tips of the fingers 
will be all that is necessary. It is a good plan 
to give a dose of calomel followed by citrate of 
magnesia or Rochelle salts as soon as the swell- 
ing is noticed. 

If the tonsils are red and swollen the throat 
should be sprayed every two or three hours with 
borolyptol and water, equal parts. 

If the gland becomes very red and hot and 
the swelling does not reduce at all, it is probably 
going to break down and will have to be lanced 
by a doctor as soon as it is ripe or soft enough. 

Bruises 

When a child has a bruise the discoloration, 
so apt to follow, may be lessened and in some 
cases prevented by quickly placing something 
very hot or else very cold over the part. Com- 

Z7 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

presses wrung out of hot water as hot as the 
hand can stand without burning, may be laid 
on the bruise and changed at once when they 
grow cool. Ice wrapped in a piece of absorbent 
cotton and held on the bruise will answer very 
well in many cases. Afterwards the part may 
be wrapped in a wet compress of witch hazel. 
This compress should be changed often enough 
to keep the part wet. 



Sprains 

A sprain should be treated at first very much 
like a bruise. If the ankle or knee has been 
sprained it should be immersed in hot water, 
or if cold water feels more comfortable, it may 
be used. After this a rather tight bandage, 
wrung out of equal parts of witch hazel and 
water, should be bound around the injured 
part. If a doctor or nurse can be found quickly 
they will often strap the part with narrow 
strips of adhesive plaster and allow the patient 
to use it almost at once. But if this strapping 
cannot be done properly, it is best to keep the 
parts at rest until some skilled person can see 
them. 

38 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

Cuts 

Children are always getting cut, and care 
should be taken to cleanse the wound thoroughly 
and keep it clean until it is healed. A small cut 
should be simply well washed with clean, cold 
water, a small pad of gauze placed on it and over 
this a narrow bandage. If the cut is deeper or some 
time has elapsed since it was done, so that there 
is probability of unclean substances having 
found their way into it, it should be washed in 
a solution of bichloride of mercury (i to looo) 
and a wet pad of this placed over the cut before 
it is bound up. The pad may be kept wet by 
placing a small square of rubber tissue over it 
and renewing the wet dressing as often as 
necessary. Pressure will often stop bleeding 
when nothing else will, so if there is much 
bleeding the pad should be firmly pressed against 
the cut until the blood ceases to flow. After 
the first day or two if there is no inflammation 
around the cut it may be simply covered with a 
piece of court plaster to keep out dirt. 

If an artery has been cut the blood will spurt 
out in jerks. In such a case tie a handkerchief or 
towel very tightly above the bleeding point ; 
then put a stick through the knot and twist 

39 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

it until the bandage is very tight, and then hold 
it until a doctor can be summoned. 

To make the i to looo bichloride of mercury 
solution, dissolve one bichloride tablet in one 
pint of boiling water. Great care must be taken 
to keep these tablets (also the solution) out of 
reach of the children, because they are deadly 
poison. 

Bums 

One of the most important things in treating 
a burn is to keep air away from it, as soon as 
possible. If the skin is not badly broken, 
sprinkle bicarbonate of soda (ordinary baking 
soda) on the burn, wrap it in clean linen and 
over this bind a layer of cotton. If the skin 
is more or less burnt off, put on olive or linseed 
oil, then the soft clean linen, cotton and a 
bandage. If one can obtain a substance already 
prepared called " unguentine," spread it rather 
thickly on the clean linen that is to cover the 
burn, it will often hasten the healing process. It 
is a very serious thing to get a burn infected 
and if there is much swelling, an unpleasant odor 
or discharge from the burn a doctor should be 
asked to inspect it as soon as possible. 

As a result of a severe burn there is often a 
40 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

good deal of shock. The child should be made 
to lie down and keep quiet while hot water 
bags are placed at the feet and a little whiskey 
or brandy is given in an ounce or two of hot 
water. 

Earache 

Many babies suffer much from earache with- 
out the cause of their pain being suspected. 
When a baby screams sharply as if in severe 
pain and jumps when pressure is made just in 
front of the ear, earache should be thought of 
and if possible a doctor should be asked to ex- 
amine the ear. Earache is very common during 
and after a severe cold, grip, or any of the con- 
tagious diseases, especially scarlet fever and 
measles. Older children will usually locate the 
seat of their pain by putting the hand to the 
ear. To relieve earache, dry heat is best. A 
small hot water bag placed over the ear, a salt 
bag bound on, very hot flannels changed often 
enough to keep them hot, are all valuable aids 
in checking the pain until a physician may be 
seen. Syringing the ear with hot boric acid 
solution (one-half teaspoonful of the boric acid 
powder to a cup of hot water) is often helpful. 
A small, soft rubber ear syringe should be used. 

41 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

It is not advisable to drop hot oil, or even 
laudanum, into the ear. 

When there is a discharge from the ear it 
means that an abscess has formed back of the 
drum and broken, perforating the drum mem- 
brane. In such cases the ear should be syringed 
v^ith warm boric acid solution every two or 
three hours and a doctor consulted as soon as 
possible. 

If a foreign body has been pushed into the 
ear of a child, it is best to let it alone unless it 
can be readily removed with the fingers, because 
there is danger of working it farther into the 
ear if it is tampered with by inexperienced 
people. In such a case the child should be taken 
to a physician as soon as possible. 

Nosebleed 

When there is bleeding from the nose the 
child should be placed in a semi-upright posi- 
tion while a piece of ice wrapped in absorbent 
cotton is held on the bridge of the nose; another 
piece may be held at the back of the neck. 
Pressure on the upper lip just below the 
nose often helps to stop a nosebleed. Packing 
tissue paper or cotton under the upper lip may 
also be tried. 

42 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

If a child has very frequent attacks of nose- 
bleed he should be examined by a doctor; there 
may be some local trouble that needs correction 
or the general system may need attention. 

Foreign Bodies in the Nose 

Children often push a button, pebble, pea or 
some small object up the nose, where it may 
become wedged. To remove it try compressing 
the opposite side of the nose and at the same 
time make the child blow hard. If this does 
not dislodge the substance try to make the 
child sneeze by tickling the nose with a feather 
or letting the child smell of a little pepper. A 
hard sneeze will often remove the substance. 
If these simple methods do not prove effectual 
consult a doctor as soon as possible. Trying to 
remove the article with a hairpin usually does 
more harm than good. 

Disorders of the Eye 

Too much care cannot be given to the eyes 
of a baby. There are many cases of blindness 
due simply to neglect. 

If there is any secretion of pus or the eyes are 
inflamed they should be carefully washed with 
a solution of boric acid (one teaspoonful to a 

43 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

pint of boiled water). This should be done 
every hour or two or as often as needed to pre- 
vent the pus from collecting. A special blunt 
pointed eye dropper or syringe is excellent to 
use for irrigating the eyes. It should be gently 
placed under the lids, care being taken not to 
press on the eye-ball, squeeze the rubber bulb 
and the fluid will run over the eye. The eyes 
should then be dried with clean absorbent 
cotton. Use a separate piece of cotton for each 
eye. If only one eye is affected cover the well 
eye with cotton before treating the diseased 
one. If the lids stick together a little pure 
white vaseline may be kept on them. If there 
is not a very marked improvement after using 
this treatment for twenty-four hours a doctor 
should be called at once, as something stronger 
is then needed and delay in its use may cause 
loss of eyesight. 

Styes 

Styes are not uncommon among growing 
children. When one appears it should be bathed 
often with hot boric acid solution made as indi- 
cated above. Hot applications may be kept 
on for fifteen minutes applied every two or 
three hours if there is much pain. If the stye 

44 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

becomes very large and inflamed it may have 
to be lanced by a doctor. When there is a 
succession of styes a general tonic is often 
needed. 

Foreign Bodies in the Eye 

When something is in the eye of a child, try 
to keep him from rubbing it if possible. Have 
the child blow his nose, flush the eye with boric 
acid solution; pull down the lower lid and 
examine the inner surface to see if the irritating 
particle can be found and if so gently remove it 
with the corner of a clean piece of linen. It is 
very difficult to roll over the upper lid but if 
a doctor cannot be had, this may be attempted 
by taking a small pencil, narrow in diameter 
and holding the upper lid back over it. An 
eye stone may be tried if other means fail. 
After moistening it place the stone in one comer 
of the eye. It will work its way around, often 
bringing the foreign body with it. An eye cup 
filled with boric acid solution is often useful in 
giving an inflamed eye a bath. 

Sprue 

If a baby's mouth or the nipples of the nurs- 
ing bottle are not kept clean, thrush or sprue 

45 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

IS apt to develop. This is seen as small, white 
flakes like curds of milk on the inside of the 
mouth, tongue and throat. 

One teaspoonful of the bicarbonate of soda 
should be added to a cup of boiled water and 
the mouth washed out gently with this solution 
every hour. Twice a day the mouth should also 
be washed with boric acid solution. Honey and 
borax so often used for this purpose by old- 
fashioned nurses is very injurious and only 
makes bad matters worse. Scrupulous care 
should be taken of the nursing bottles and 
nipples and if the baby has been allowed to 
suck a pacifier it should be burnt and never re- 
placed. 



Ulcers or Cold Sores 

Sometimes little ulcers will form in, or at, 
the corners of the mouth; in such cases make a 
swab of a small piece of absorbent cotton firmly 
twisted on a wooden tooth pick; dip it in equal 
parts of burnt alum and bismuth powder and 
touch the sore spots three or four times daily. 
This often helps better than anything else to dry 
up a cold sore or fever blister. 

46 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

Foreign Bodies Swallowed and in the 
Throat 

If a child swallows a foreign body and appears 
to be choking, try a sharp slap on the back 
between the shoulder-blades. If this does not 
bring up the substance then hold the child up- 
side down by the feet and shake him. Putting 
the finger into the throat and trying to extract 
the substance may sometimes be effectual. 

When the substance has really been swallowed 
give the child oatmeal porridge or mush of any 
kind, potato or bread and milk. This food 
will form a soft coating about the article and 
will usually carry it safely through. It is a very 
bad plan to give a laxative, like castor oil, to 
hurry the article along. 

Chafing 

If a baby is not kept dry or the napkins are 
not well cared for or the bowel movements are 
abnormal, chafing of the buttocks and surround- 
ing parts is very apt to occur. In such a case 
the parts must be kept very dry and washed 
with olive oil instead of water. An ointment 
known as " Lassar's paste '' should be spread 
on old, soft linen and kept on the sore parts. 

47 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

If the chafing is only slight a one per cent 
solution of ichthyol (one teaspoonful to a pint 
of water) may be frequently sopped on and 
chen the parts dusted with a very pure talcum 
powder. 

Eczema 

Eczema is quite common in babies and the 
cause is often some error in diet. What will 
suit one child in this respect will not do at all 
for another. The food must, therefore, be 
changed until the exact thing for the individual 
baby is found. The bowels must be kept open. 
Milk of magnesia is the safest laxative to use 
for this purpose. Many ointments are used 
locally but one of the most successful is " Las- 
sar's paste'' spread on linen and kept in close 
contact with the affected surface. The parts 
must be washed with olive oil in place of water. 
No ointment will be of avail unless it is kept 
closely applied. Therefore it is often necessary 
to make an eczema mask out of canton flannel 
(soft side out), or heavy muslin. If the eczema 
is on the face, or other parts of the body, the 
linen spread with ointment must be bound on 
with bandages. It is absolutely necessary to 
prevent the child from scratching if a cure is 
to be effected. 

48 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

Milk Crust 

Milk Crust is a form of eczema found on the 
scalp. It is a thick crust as a rule and often 
takes some time to remove. An ointment 
of two per cent resorcin should be spread on 
linen and bound on the scalp by means of a 
tightly fitting cap. The ointment should be 
applied fresh twice a day. Do not use water 
on the scalp but continue this treatment for 
three or four days, then wash the scalp well with 
olive oil and much of the crust will come away. 
Repeat the process until the head is clear. Then 
apply it for a week or more, once or twice a 
week at night, to prevent its return. 

Boils 

Babies and young children sometimes are 
afflicted with boils. To bring a boil to a head 
and to soften and ease the pain, make applica- 
tions of antiphlogistine bound on as hot as 
can be comfortably borne and changed every 
four or six hours. When the little core softens 
and comes away the boil should be washed with 
warm boric acid solution, and then a dressing 
of ichthyol ointment spread on gauze should be 
bandaged on the part. This will disinfect and 

49 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

help heal the sore. When many boils appear 
something is usually wrong with the child's diet 
or he may need an iron tonic or some other 
preparation. A doctor should be consulted as to 
the best thing for the particular case. 

Prickly Heat 

Many babies are much troubled in summer 
by prickly heat. A little linen shirt worn next 
to the skin under the wool band or shirt will 
relieve the irritation. Frequent tepid sponge 
baths with one teaspoonful of bicarbonate of 
soda to half a basin of water is also excellent. 
After the bath, pure talcum powder or powdered 
corn starch should be dusted on. If there is 
much inflammation of the skin, it will often help 
to sop on frequently one per cent ichthyol 
solution and then to dust with powder. Bran 
baths and starch baths are sometimes used. 

Hives 

Hives are frequently seen in many children, 
especially those having a delicate digestion. 
They are often very irritating, itching greatly. 
They may be bathed with a solution of bicar- 
bonate of soda, one teaspoonful to a half basin 
of water. The bowels should be opened by 

50 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

means of the milk or citrate of magnesia, then 
the rhubarb and soda mixture given, in a little 
water, after meals for several days. A child 
under one year will usually require twenty drops 
three times daily ; from one to two years, half a 
teaspoonful and for older children one teaspoon- 
ful three times daily. The child should be 
watched and if an attack of hives occurs every 
time after eating any one article of food, this 
article should be omitted from the diet. Straw- 
berries and fish often cause hives in children. 

Chapped Hands 

In cold weather babies and children are apt 
to have chapped hands and faces. A few drops 
of glycerine in an ounce of water may be rubbed 
on the chapped parts. Cold cream is also 
excellent to use and may be put on the hands 
and cheeks of the child before he is taken out 
into the cold. 

Scabies or Itch 

This is a most annoying skin disease and 
very contagious. It often appears in children 
who have not been kept very clean or who have 
attended public school and have come in con- 
tact with someone who already has the disease. 

51 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

The little red marks with a black centre 
appear as a rule between the fingers and toes 
then spread to other parts of the body and are 
intensely "itchy/' It seems impossible to keep 
from scratching. The child's clothing should be 
boiled. He should be soaked for ten or fifteen 
minutes in a hot bath and scrubbed with a 
brush, dried, and balsam of Peru ointment 
(lo per cent) spread on linen and covered with a 
piece of rubber tissue bound on the parts with 
a bandage. This should be done every night at 
bed time and left on the next day. It should 
be repeated until the child is completely rid of 
the disease. 

The child should not be allowed to sleep with 
anyone else nor use the same linen while the dis- 
ease is present. 

Ring Worm 

Ring Worm is another contagious skin disease. 
A round, red ring often on the scalp or face 
but sometimes on other parts of the body 
characterizes this disease. School children often 
contract it from each other or from dogs and 
cats. The spot should be painted with equal 
parts of iodine and olive oil mixed together and 
applied with a camel's hair brush or a swab 

52 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

twice daily. The entire surface and a little way 
beyond the border of the ring should be covered. 
If the disease is on the scalp all hair must be 
shaved off before the treatment is begun. 

Lice or Vermin in the Hair 

School children, also those who take long 
journeys on sleeping cars, are very apt to con- 
tract these pests. 

It is often impossible to rid the hair of the 
little nits unless it is cut closely to the head. 

White precipitate ointment (five per cent) 
may be rubbed into the hair and scalp, then a 
cap or towel tied over the head during the night. 
The next morning the head should be washed 
with warm water and castile soap and well 
combed with a fine toothed comb. It may be 
necessary to repeat this several times; tincture 
of larkspur is also often used for this purpose, 
and even kerosene may be used when nothing 
better can be had. 

Cold Sores or Fever Blisters 

Many children are frequently subject to cold 
sores on the lips. Camphor ice frequently 
applied is helpful in such cases, or the sore may 

53 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

be bathed with boric acid solution, then a powder 
of equal parts of burnt alum and bismuth 
dusted on. 

Frost Bites and Chilblains 

After being out on a cold, windy day a 
bright red spot may appear on the baby's 
tender cheeks, which will soon feel quite hard. 
This is a frost bite. Cold water should be 
applied to the spot followed by an application of 
an ointment of balsam of Peru. 

When these red spots appear on the feet or 
hands they are called ''chilblains." The same 
treatment as indicated above is good for them. 
The child should never be allowed to go close 
to the fire after being out in the snow. He 
should get warm gradually. 

Eruptions, Rashes and Contagious 
Diseases 

Babies and children are very prone to rashes 
of various kinds. As the contagious diseases 
usually take place during childhood, it is not 
very safe for a mother to attempt either to 
diagnose or treat a skin eruption herself. A 
bright red rash may be almost anything, from 
simple indigestion to a case of scarlet fever, 

54 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

<is far as she can tell. Here, however, are a few 
points to bear in mind. 

Measles usually begins like an ordinary cold in 
the head, coming on gradually, with watery eyes, 
sneezing, running nose, some cough and fever. 
A bright red coarse or blotchy rash appears first 
on the face and neck. If these symptoms con- 
tinue for three or four days it will many times 
prove to be measles. 

German measles often comes suddenly with 
very few other symptoms than the rash itself, 
which is red and spreads rapidly all over the body. 
The glands of the neck are often enlarged in this 
disease. The rash may be fine like scarlet fever or 
it may be coarser like measles ; but the child does 
not appear very sick or have much temperature. 

Scarlet fever often begins with a sore throat 
and vomiting, high fever, followed by the fine 
red rash which usually appears within twenty- 
four hours, first on the neck and chest, then 
spreading rapidly all over the body. 

Chicken pox begins with scattered pimples 
on the scalp, face and body, especially on the 
back. Little vesicles soon form, which later 
dry up into scabs. There may be a little fever 
and considerable itching. 

The only safe thing for a mother to do when 
55 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

she sees a rash on her child is to undress him 
and put him to bed in a room by himself, to 
give him a dose of castor oil and a fluid diet 
for twenty-four hours at least, then if he has any 
fever or seems at all sick to call in the doctor 
as soon as possible. If the rash is simply from 
indigestion the treatment has been correct and 
probably all that is needed; if it is one of the 
contagious diseases the treatment is also correct 
for the beginning of the attack and if there are 
other children in the family they have not been 
needlessly exposed. 

Diphtheria, whooping cough and mumps have 
no rash but are very contagious from the 
beginning of the disease. 

The mother can seldom decide whether or 
not the child has diphtheria; when the child 
complains of sore throat she can only treat him 
as already described on page 31, and send for 
her doctor as quickly as possible. 

Whooping cough, for the first week or two 
and sometimes even longer, cannot be told from 
an ordinary cold. However, paroxysms of 
coughjing often followed by vomiting with 
no fever or wheezing on the chest should make 
one suspect whooping cough and watch sharply 
for a whoop or indrawing of the breath which 

56 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

will generally follow sooner or later if the child 
really has whooping cough. 

Mumps — Unless the person has had some ex- 
perience with mumps they are apt to confuse 
them with swollen glands of the neck. The 
swelling in mumps, however, extends in front of 
the ear upon the cheek as well as behind it and 
below it. There is usually considerable pain on 
moving the jaw and great pain on taking any- 
thing sour into the mouth like lemon juice or 
vinegar. 

For the safety of the community as well as for 
the sake of her own child, a mother by herself 
should not attempt to treat a contagious disease. 
She should call in a doctor and receive her 
instructions from him. The Health Depart- 
ment will then be properly notified and pre- 
cautions will be taken to prevent the spread of 
the disease by means of fumigating at the close 
of the illness. 

Poisons and Their Antidotes 

When a child has taken poison the first thing 
to do is to try to make him vomit. A teaspoonf ul 
of mustard in a glass of lukewarm water, or a 
teaspoonful of the syrup of ipecac will often be 
enough to cause vomiting. Powdered alum, one 

57 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

teaspoonf ul to a glass of lukewarm water, is also 
sometimes used. If a doctor can be called 
quickly he will often wash out the stomach. 

Fly poison is often taken by babies and 
young children. As this frequently contains 
arsenic, the child should be treated as for arsenic 
poisoning. One of the above emetics should 
first be given, then olive oil in doses of a table- 
spoonful at a time every few minutes until five 
or six doses have been given. If lime water 
can be used with the olive oil in equal parts, 
the results will be still better. After the oil and 
lime water the white of an egg should be given 
and the child kept warm and quiet. 

Babies and young children sometimes suck 
match heads and are poisoned by the phos- 
phorus which they contain. Here the best 
emetic to give is a tiny pinch (3 grains) of blue 
vitriol or sulphate of copper dissolved in water. 
This should be repeated every five minutes until 
the child vomits. If this cannot be had quickly, 
then give mustard, one teaspoonful in a glass 
of lukewarm water. A little later after the child 
has vomited, give two teaspoonfuls of Epsom 
salts in a glass of water. Be very careful not 
to give olive oil, egg, butter or cream after 
phosphorus poisoning, as oils and fats dissolve 

58 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

the phosphorus and make it much easier for 
absorption to take place. 

Oxalic acid is often kept in the house for 
cleaning brasses and taken by children or 
mistaken for Epsom salts and given to them 
by an adult. The antidote is lime water, or 
if this cannot be had quickly, scrape some 
plaster from the walls, dissolve it in a glass of 
water and give this. Then mustard and water 
should be given as an emetic. Olive oil and 
flaxseed tea may be given later to relieve the 
irritation that the poison has caused. After this 
a dose of castor oil should be administered. 

For poisoning with carbolic acid give alcohol ; 
promote vomiting by mustard and warm water; 
then give olive oil, white of egg, flaxseed tea and 
milk to allay the irritation. 

For Paris green or rat poison give an emetic 
of mustard and warm water until the child 
vomits. If a doctor cannot quickly take charge 
get some calcined magnesia and tincture of iron, 
mix one teaspoonful of the magnesia in a cup- 
ful of water, add three teaspoonfuls of tincture 
of iron and give this in one dose. Afterwards 
give olive oil and white of egg. 

For opium, laudanum, or morphine in any 
of its forms such as "soothing syrups," pare- 

59 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

gone, etc., give strong tea, or coffee and inject, 
as an enema, strong coffee. Keep the child 
awake by bathing the head and chest with cold 
water, quickly followed by hot water, and walk 
him about if he is old enough. Do not allow 
him to go to sleep on any account until the 
doctor can arrive. The regular antidotes are 
dangerous drugs and can only be handled by a 
doctor. 

For iodine poison — empty the stomach as 
quickly as possible by an emetic such as mus- 
tard and water, then give plenty of boiled starch 
or flour paste followed by barley gruel. 

Ivy poisoning. Many children are very sus- 
ceptible to poison ivy. It causes an eruption 
to appear on their skin and often gives great 
discomfort. For this poison make a saturated 
solution of bicarbonate of soda (ordinary baking 
soda) by adding the soda to a cup of water until 
no more will dissolve; keep cloths well wet in 
this, over the parts that are poisoned, changing 
them often enough to keep wet and cool. 

Bichloride of mercury, or " corrosive subli- 
mate " and white precipitate ointment are forms 
of mercury. Sometimes these are taken by mis- 
take. In such cases, after emptying the stomach 
as quickly as possible by an emetic like mustard 

60 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

and water, give the white of egg, milk and 
flour. Strong tea may also be given with good 
results. 

For poisoning by strong alkalies like lye or 
ammonia, give plenty of tepid water until the 
child vomits; then give lemon juice or vinegar 
and water, followed by white of egg or flaxseed 
tea. 

If a child eats toadstools or poisonous berries, 
give an emetic like mustard and water till he 
vomits, after which give plenty of milk and a 
little later a dose of castor oil. 

When a child is very weak after any poison- 
ing and its treatment, give teaspoonful doses 
of brandy or whiskey in a little water; keep 
him quiet and warm by means of hot water 
bags. 

A good general rule for poisoning is to give 
acids, such as lemon juice and vinegar when 
alkalies have been taken; alkalies, like lime 
water, plaster from the wall or magnesia should 
be given when acids have been taken. Other 
things may be done by a doctor or trained 
nurse but the drugs used by them are too dan- 
gerous and the methods too complicated to be 
used by an inexperienced person. 

6i 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

Drugs Mentioned in the Book, Their 
Uses and Doses 

Albolene (liquid) : — Used as a nose spray for 
colds. 

Alcohol: — To be used in sponge baths for 
reducing fever — one tablespoonful to half a 
basin of tepid water. 

Alum (burnt) and Bismuth: — In equal 
parts. Use — to be dusted on cold sores, 
cracked lips and fever blisters. 

Alxmi (powdered) : — Used as an emetic (one 
teaspoonful to a glass of water). 

Antiphlogistine : — To be used hot for swollen 
glands and boils. 

Balsam of Peru Ointment (lo per cent) — Ap- 
ply to skin for itch, scabies, frost bites and chil- 
blains; 

Benzoin (compound tincture of) : — ^Used for 
inhalation in case of croup, bronchitis, etc., (one 
teaspoonful to a pint of boiling water). 

Boric Acid: — Used for mouth and eye wash, 
also for syringing ears if abscess is present (one 
teaspoonful of the powder to one pint of boiled 
water) . 

Borolyptol: — Used diluted with one of two 
62 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

parts of water for nose and throat spray and 
mouth wash; or rub on gums when teething. 

Brandy: — Used as a stimulant. Dose: six 
months, five to ten drops; eighteen months, ten 
to twenty drops; three years, twenty to thirty 
drops; five years, thirty to forty drops. Given 
diluted with one to two tablespoonfuls of water 
every two hours. 

Brown Mixture: — ^Used for coughs. Dose: 
six months, fifteen drops; eighteen months, 
twenty drops ; three years, thirty to forty drops ; 
five years, forty drops to one teaspoonful. 
Given every three hours. 

Calomel: — Used as cathartic and to act on 
liver. Dose, six months, one-tenth of a grain 
every hour until ten doses have been given; 
eighteen months, one-fifth of a grain every hour 
until five doses have been given; three years, 
one-fifth of a grain every hour until six doses 
have been given ; five years, one-fifth of a grain 
every hour until eight doses have been given. 

Castor Oil: — Used for cathartic. Dose, six 
months, one teaspoonful; eighteen months, two 
teaspoonf uls ; three years, three teaspoonf uls ; 
five years, four teaspoonfuls. 

63 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

Cold Cream: — Used as soothing ointment for 
chapped hands, lips, etc. 

Elixir Lactopeptine : — ^Used to aid digestion 
and for colic or gas; also to partially peptonize 
milk. Dose, six months, twenty drops in an 
ounce of hot water or else in the food ; eighteen 
months, thirty drops in a tablespoonful of hot 
water after meals or in the milk; three years, 
forty drops in a tablespoonful of hot water after 
meals or in the milk ; five years, one teaspoonf ul 
in a tablespoonful of hot water after meals or 
in the milk. 

Epsom Salts : — Used as a laxative. Dose, six 
months, ten to fifteen grains in two ounces of 
water every two hours until a free movement 
takes place; eighteen months, twenty grains 
given as above ; three years, one-half teaspoonf ul 
given as above; five years one teaspoon ful 
in half a glass of water every two hours until 
a free movement occurs. For a quick cathar- 
tic, after a dose of poison has been taken, 
give two teaspoonfuls in a glass of water. 

Glycerine: — ^Used as an enema; in the 
proportion of one teaspoonful to one ounce of 
olive oil or water. For chapped hands use a 
few drops in an ounce of water and rub into 
the skin. For swabbing sore throat use two 

64 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

parts of glycerine to one part of tincture of 
chloride of iron. 

Ichthyol (one per cent, solution) : — ^Used for 
chafing, sopping it on freely and then dusting 
with talcum powder. 

Ichthyol Ointment (20 per cent.) : — Used ex- 
ternally for swollen glands in the neck. 

Iodine : Used externally. Mixed with an 
equal part of olive oil. Ringworm may be 
painted with it. 

Ipecac (syrup of) : — ^Used as an emetic, espe- 
cially for croup. Dose, six months, two drops, 
every fifteen minutes till vomiting occurs ; eight- 
een months, five drops ; three years, ten drops, five 
years, twenty drops; all given every fifteen 
minutes until vomiting occurs. Or one large 
dose of half to one teaspoonful may be given a 
child over two years of age, if the breathing is 
very difficult and vomiting at once seems 
necessary. 

Iron (tincture of the chloride) : — ^Used for 
swabbing tonsils in cases of sore throat, one 
part iron mixed with two parts of glycerine. 

Lassar^s Paste : — Used for eczema, and chaf- 
ing. It must be spread on gauze or soft linen 
to be eflFectual. 

6s 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

Liquid Peptonoids : — Used as temporary food 
and tonic. Dose, six months, fifteen drops in 
water every two hours ; eighteen months, twenty 
drops; three years, thirty drops; five years, one 
teaspoonful given as above. This is especially 
good when vomiting is present and other food 
cannot be retained. 

Manhattan Gargle: — For acute tonsilitis use 
one tablet in one-third of a glass of hot water 
or in a throat atomizer. It must be used hot. 

Mercury (bichloride of) : — This is a strong dis- 
infectant and very poisonous. Use externally 
only. Wash wounds or cuts that may be infected. 
To make a solution i-iooo take one tablet to 
one pint of boiling water. It is also sometimes 
used in a solution 1-3000 for sponge bath after 
contagious disease. 

Milk of Magnesia: — Used as a laxative and 
antacid. Dose varies with degree of consti- 
pation. For a baby under one year begin with 
ten drops in water or milk, three times daily 
and gradually increase the dose until two tea- 
spoonfuls are given in twenty-four hours. For 
older children the dose may be worked up to 
one tablespoonful, if necessary. As an antacid 

66 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

(vomiting sour food) in babies under one year, 
ten drops in one tablespoonful of water before 
each meal is often beneficial. 

Mustard (English) : — Use for counter irri- 
tation, externally as an irritant, and internally 
as an emetic. For mustard paste use one part 
of mustard to six of flour. This may be applied 
for colds, bronchitis, croup, etc. For mustard 
bath take one-half teacupful mustard to a small 
tub of water. For a pack use one tablespoonful 
of mustard to one quart of water. For an emetic 
use one teaspoonful of mustard to one glass of 
lukewarm water. 

Nitre (sweet spirits of) : — To be used for fever 
and also to induce free passage of urine. Doses, 
six months, two to three drops ; eighteen months, 
three to five drops; three years, five drops; five 
years, five to ten drops, given in water every 
two or three hours. 

Olive Oil: — Used as a mild laxative. Dose, 
one tablespoonful once or twice daily. For an 
enema use the oil pure or mixed, one to two 
ounces with glycerine (one teaspoonful of 
glycerine to one ounce of olive oil). 

It is also used in place of water as a wash 
67 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

for skin diseases (like eczema). For a cold in 
the head drop up nose frequently. 

Potash (chlorate of) : — Used for sore throat 
as a gargle. Dose, as much as can be taken 
on ten cent piece to glass of water. 

Pumice Stone (powdered) : — Used for clean- 
ing the teeth. 

Resorcin Ointment (2 per cent) : — ^Used for 
milk crust and some forms of eczema. 

Rhinitis (half strength) : — Used for checking 
colds at the outset. Dose, one tablet every 
hour or till the face flushes. It should then be 
stopped. 

Rochelle Salts : — Laxative. Dosfes, six months, 
fifteen grains; eighteen months, thirty grains 
(half a teaspoonful) ; three years, one to two 
teaspoonf uls ; five years, three to four tea- 
spoonfuls. Given in half a glass of water before 
breakfast. 

Rhubarb (spiced syrup of) : — Used in diar- 
rhoea after castor oil or calomel. Dose, six 
months, five to ten drops; eighteen months, fif- 
teen to twenty drops ; three years, twenty drops ; 
five years, twenty to thirty drops; every three 
hours. Or a teaspoonful of it is sometimes given 
in one dose. 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

"Rhubarb and Soda Mixture: — Used as cor- 
rective and laxatiye. Often given in many 
forms of indigestion and some skin diseases. 
Doses, six months, twenty drops; eighteen 
months, thirty drops ; three years, one teaspoon- 
ful; five years, one teaspoonful; all given in a 
little water after meals. Also given to children 
with a tendency to rheumatism. 

Soda, Bicarbonate : — Used for sprue or thrush 
and as a corrective for acid stomach and to pre- 
vent vomiting. For sprue use one teaspoonful 
in a cup of water as mouth wash; use every 
hour. For vomiting use a tiny pinch in one ounce 
of hot water before meals or in the food. It may 
be used externally for burns by being dusted 
on dry and covered with soft linen, gauze and 
cotton. 

Soda Mint Tablets : — ^Used for colic, flatulency 
and various forms of indigestion. Dose, one- 
half to one tablet in an ounce of hot water when- 
ever necessary. 

Unguentine : — Used for burns. 

Vaseline (plain) : — Used to prevent eyelids 
from sticking together in cases of sore eyes, and 
to lubricate the thermometer ; also for many other 
nursery purposes. 

69 



FIRST AID IN NURSERY AILMENTS 

Vaseline (carboHzed) : — Used externally to 
prevent itching, and as slight disinfectant dur- 
ing contagious diseases. 

Whiskey: — Used when powerful stimulant is 
needed. Doses, six months, five to ten drops; 
eighteen months, ten to twenty drops; three 
years, twenty to thirty drops; five years, thirty 
to forty drops; all must be well diluted with 
one-half to one tablespoonful of water. 

White Precipitate Ointment (five per cent) :— 
Used to rub into the hair when it is infested 
with vermin; also used for some skin diseases 
where the surface involved is small. 

Witchhazel: — Used as a cooling lotion and 
for cold compresses, bruises, sprains, etc. 



70 



INDEX 



Abdomen, distention of, 
10 ; gas in, lo, 13 ; knead- 
ing of, 11; massage of, 
12, 14 

Abscess, in ear, 42 

Absorbent cotton. See Cot- 
ton 

Acid, oxalic, 59 

Adenoids, 27 

Adhesive plaster, 38 

Ailments, simple, 3 

Albolene, 2'], 62 

Alcohol, 25, 59, (i2\ bath, 
22, 35; sponge, 30 

Alkalies, poisoning by, 61 

Alum, burnt, 46, 55, (i2\ 
powdered, 57, ^2 

Ammonia, poisoning by, 
61 

Ankle, sprain of, 38 

Antidotes for poisons, 57 

Antiphlogistine, 2ipy 49j 62 

Antitoxine, for diphtheria, 

35 . 
Arsenic, poisoning by, 58 
Artery, cutting of, 39 
Atomizer, 34 

Balsam of Peru ointment, 

52, 54, 62 
Baths, bicarbonate of soda. 



71 



50; bran, 50; mustard, 
20, 21, 32; starch, 50 

Benzoin, compound tinc- 
ture of, 29, 32, 62 

Berries, poisonous, 61 

Bicarbonate of soda. See 
Soda 

Bichloride of Mercury. 
See Mercury 

Bilious attack, 16 

Bismuth powder, 46, 54; 
and alum, 62 

Bleeding, from artery, 39; 
from cuts, 39 

Blindness, 44 

Blood in movements, 10 

Blue vitriol, 58 

Boils, 49 

Boric acid, for children's 
teeth, 18; earache, 41, 
42 ; disorders of eye, 43 ; 
styes, 44; foreign bodies 
in eye, 45; sprue, 46; 
boils, 49; cold sores or 
fever blisters, 54 

Borolyptol, 18, 2^, 34, zy, 
62 

Bowels, irrigation of, 10, 
II, 21, 22; movements 
of, 12; regulation of, 11 ; 
washing out of, 10 



INDEX 



Brain diseases, cause of 

convulsion^" 20 
Bran baths, 50 
Brandy, 41, 61, 63 
Breathing, difficulty in, 28, 

31 . . 

Bronchitis, 27 

Brown mixture, 29, 63 

Bruises, 37 

Bulb syringe, 13, 14 

Burns, 40 

Burnt alum, 46, 54, 62 

Calcined magnesia, 59 

Calomel, 63 ; for diarrhoea, 
p; indigestion and bil- 
ious attacks, 16; fevers, 
22; bronchitis, 30; sore 
throat, 34; enlarged 
glands, 37 

Camel's hair brush, 52 

Camphor ice, 53 

Carbolic acid, 59 

Castile soap, 53 

Castor oil. See Oil 

Catheter, rubber, 10, 14, 22 

Chafing of the skin, 47 

Chapped hands, 51 

Cheese cloth, 23, 34 

Chest, wheezing on, 28 

Chicken pox, 55 

Chilblains, 54 

Chills, 32 

Chlorate of potash, 34 

Chloride of iron, 35 

Choking, 47 

Citrate of magnesia. See 
Magnesia 

Clinical thermometer, 24 

Clothing, 4 

Cod liver oil. See Oil 



72 



Coffee, 60 

Colds, 26; with chills, 33; 
cause swollen glands, 
36 ; cause earache, 41 

Cold cream, 51, 64 

Cold sores, 46, 53 

Colic, 13 

Compresses, 17, 34, 38 

Constipation, 11, 30; of 
mother, 14 ; causes head- 
ache, 17 

Contagious diseases, 16, 
33f 54; cause of con- 
vulsion, 20; begin with 
fever, 25 

Convulsions, 20, 24 

Corrosive sublimate. See 
Mercury 

Cotton, 40; absorbent, for 
children's teeth, 18; 
toothache, 19 ; sore 
throat, 35; bruises, 38; 
nosebleed, 42; disorders 
of eye, 44; ulcers or cold 
sores, 46 

Cough, bronchial, 27 ; 
croup, 31; whooping, 56 

Court plaster, 39 

Cream, cause of vomiting, 
15 

Crib tent, in bronchitis, 29 ; 
in croup, 32 

Croup, 31 

Curds, in movements, 15; 
vomiting of, 15 

Cuts, 39 

Deafness, 27 

Dental floss, 19; plasters, 19 
Diarrhoea, 9; caused by 
teething, 18 



INDEX 



Diphtheria, 56 ; sore throat, 
33. 35; swollen glands, 
36 

Drugs, harmless, 4; uses 
and doses, 62 

Ear, abscess in, 42 ; foreign 
body in, 42; syringe, 41 

Earache, 41 

Eczema, 48; mask for, 48 

Elixir lactopeptine, 15, 64 

Emergencies, 3 

Enemas, 11, 13, 22 

Enlarged glands. See 
Glands 

Epsom salts. See Salts 

Eruptions, 54 

Eyes, blindness, 44; dis- 
orders of, 43;^ foreign 
bodies in, 45 ; inflamed, 
43; pus in, 43; strains, 
18 

Eye dropper, 44; stone, 
45 ; syringe, 44 

Eyelids, sticking together 
of, 44 ; styes on, 44 

Fever blisters, 46, 53 

Fevers, 20, 21, 35 ; typhoid, 
22 

First aid in nursery ail- 
ments, 9 

Flour paste, 60 

Fly poison, 58 

Food, 4 

Fountain syringe, 10 

Frost bites, 54 

Fumigation, 57 

Gargles, 34 



73 



Gas in abdomen, 10 
Gauze, 39 

German measles, 55 
Glands, enlarged or 

swollen, 36, 57 
Glycerine, 64;^ with olive 

oil for injection, 13; 

with iron for swabbing 

throat, 35; chapped 

hands, 51 
Grip, s6y 41 
Gums, swollen, 18 

Hands, chapped, 51 

Headaches, 17, 18 

Hives, 50 

Hot water bag, for colic, 
13; toothache, 19; con- 
vulsions, 20; fevers, 23, 
24; shock after burns, 
41 ; earache, 41 ; weak- 
ness after poisoning, 61 

Ice, bag, 17, 36; cap, 20, 
23 ; pack, 23 

Ichthyol, 48, 50, 65; oint- 
ment, 37, 49, 65 

Illness, beginning of, 3; 
serious, 3 

Indigestion, 54, 56; causes 
convulsions, 20 ; causes 
headache, 17; of older 
children, 16 

Inhaler, steam, 29 

Inj ection. See^ Enemas 

Intestines, irrigation of. 
See irrigation of bowels 

Iodine, 52, 60, 65 

Ipecac, syrup of, 65; for 
croup, 31; emetic for 
poisons, 57 



INDEX 



Iron, tincture of the chlo- 
ride, 6i, 65; tonic, 31 

Irrigation of bowels, 10, 11, 
21, 22; of stomach, must 
be done by physician, 15 

Itch, 51 

Ivy, poisoning, 60 

Kerosene oil, 53 
Knee, sprain of, 38 
Koumys, 16 

Lactopeptine, elixir, 15, 64 
Larkspur, tincture of, 53 
Lassar's paste, 47, 48, 65 
Laudanum, poisoning, 59 
Laxatives, 34 
Lice, 53 

Lime v^ater, in milk,^ 15; 
with olive oil in poison- 
ing, ^ 58; antidote for 
oxalic^ acid, 59; for 
poisoning by acids, 61 
Linseed oil, 40 ^ 
Liquid peptonoids, 16, 66 
Lye, poisoning by, 61 

Magnesia, calcined, for 
poisoning, 59; for acid 
poisoning, 61 ; citrate or 
milk of, for headache, 
17 ; after calomel, 30, zl \ 
after hives, 51 ; milk of 
for constipation, 12; for 
eczema, 48; as antacid 
(vomiting sour food), 
66; citrate of, for sore 
throat, 34 

Malaria, 33 

Manhattan gargle, 34, 66 



74 



Massage, abdomen, 12, 14; 
swollen glands, 37 

Matches, cause poisoning, 
58 

Matzoon, 16 

Measles, 41, 55; German, 
55 

Mercury, ^ bichloride of 
(corrosive sublimate), 
39, 60, (i6\ white pre- 
cipitate ointment, 53, 60, 
70 

Milk crust, 49 

Milk of ^ magnesia. See 
Magnesia 

Milk teeth, 19 

Morphine, poisoning by, 59 

Mothers, notice to, 3 

Mothers' Manual, 4, "^^ 

Mouth, disorders of, 45 

Movements, blood in, 10; 
curds in, 15; mucous in, 
10 

Mucous, in movements, 10 ; 
ropy, 31 

Mumps, 56, 57 

Mustard, (y'j', bath, 20, 21, 
Z2\ emetic for croup, 
31; pack, 20; paste, 16, 
28; plaster, 17, 28; 
poison's antidote, 57, 58, 
59, 60, 61 

Neck, glands of, 37 

Nervousness of mother 
causes colic, 13 

Nitre, sweet spirits of, 67; 
for fevers, 24; for bron- 
chitis, 30; for sore 
throat, 35 

Nose, foreign bodies in, 43 



INDEX 



Nosebleed, 42 

Nursery hygiene, 4 

Nursery Supply Co., The, 
I 

Nursing bottles and nip- 
ples, 46 



Oil, Castor, for diarrhoea, 
9; not for constipation, 
12; for headaches, 17; 
children's teething, 18 ; 
convulsions, 21 ; fevers, 
22\ colds, 26; bron- 
chitis, 30; croup, 32; 
sore throat, 34; not 
good for choking, 47; 
rash, 56; after oxalic 
acid poisoning, 59; after 
poisoning, 61 

Oil, olive, 67; with glycer- 
ine for injection, 13; for 
cold in head, 27; after 
mustard paste, 28; for 
swollen glands, 37 ; 
burns, 40; chafing, 47; 
eczema, 48; milk crust, 
49; with iodine for ring- 
worm, 52 ; for fly poison, 
58; for oxalic acid, 59 

Oil, cod liver, 31 ; kero- 
sene, SZ \ linseed, 40 

Oil silk, 34, z^ 

Ointments, balsam of 
Peru, 52, 54, (i2\ cold 
cream, 51, 63; ichthyol, 
Zl, 49, 65; Lassar's 
paste, 47, 48, 65 ; resor- 
cin, 49, 68; unguentine, 
40, 69; white precipi- 
tate, 53, 60, 70 



75 



Opium, poisoning by, 59 
Oxalic acid, poisoning by, 

59 
Pacifier, 46 
Paregoric, poisoning by, 

59 
Paris green, poisoning by, 

59 
Paste, flour, 60; Lassar's, 

47, 48, 65; mustard, 16, 

28 
Pepper, 43 
Phosphorus, poisoning by, 

58 
Physician, guidance of, 4 
Plasters, adhesive, 38 ; 
court, 39; dental, 19; 
mustard, 17, 2% 
Pneumonia, 2^, 31, 33 
Poisons and antidotes, 57 
Poisoning by acids, 61; 
alkalies, 61 ; ammonia, 
61 ; bichloride of mer- 
cury (corrosive subli- 
mate), 60; carbolic acid, 
59; fly poison, 58; iodine, 
60; ivy, 60; laudanum, 
59 ; lye, 61 ; morphine, 
59; opium, 59; oxalic 
acid, 59; paregoric, 59; 
Paris green, 59; phos- 
phorus in match heads, 
58 ; poisonous berries, 
61; rat poison, 69; 
" soothing syrups,*' 59 ; 
toadstools, 61 ; white 
precipitate ointment, 60 
Potash, chlorate of, 68 
Prickly heat, 50 
Pumice stone, 68; pow- 
dered, 19 



INDEX 



Rashes, 54 

Rat poison, 59 

Rectum, 11, 12 

Reliable guide, 3 

Resorcin ointment, 49, 68 

Rhinitis tablets, 26, 68 

Rhubarb and soda mix- 
ture, 69; after vomiting, 
17; for headaches, 17; 
for hives, 50 

Rhubarb, spiced syrup of, 
68; for diarrhoea, 9 

Ringworm, 58 

Rochelle salts. See Salts 

Rubber cloth, or sheet, 10, 

23 
Rubber nipples, 15 
Rubber tissue, 36, 39, 52 



Salt bag, 41 

Salt solution, 10 

Salts, Epsom, 64; after 
calomel, 10, 16, 30; in 
poisoning, 58 ; oxalic 
acid mistaken for, 59; 
Rochelle, 68; after cal- 
omel, 10, 16, 30, 37 

Scabies, 51 

Scarlet fever, 41, 54, 55 

Sheet, rubber, 23 

Skin, eruptions or rashes, 

54 

Soap stick, 12, 13 

Soda, bicarbonate, 69; for 
vomiting, 14, 15; burns, 
40; sprue,^ 46; prickly- 
heat, 50; ivy poisoning, 
60; mixture with rhu- 
barb, 69; baths, 50 

Soda mint tablets, 13, 69 



76 



Soothing syrups, poisoning 

by, 59 

Sore throat. See Throat 

Spiced syrup of rhubarb. 
See Rhubarb 

Sprains, 38 

Spray, 34 

Sprue, 45 

Starch, baths, 50; for 
poisoning, 60 

Steam, inhaler, 29; in- 
halations, 28, 32; vapor- 
izer, 29 

Stomach, washing out of, 
must be done by physi- 
cian, 15 

Styes on eyelids, 44 

Sulphate of copper, 58 

Suppositories, 13 

Swabs, for ringworm, 52; 
for throat and tonsils, 
35; for ulcers and cold 
sores, 46 

Swallowing of foreign 
bodies, 47 

Sweet spirits of nitre. See 
Nitre 

Swollen glands. Se« 
Glands 

Swollen gums, 18 

Swollen tonsils, 35 

Syringe, bulb, 13, 14, 22; 
ear, 41 ; eye, 44 ; foun- 
tain, 10, 22 

Syrup of ipecac. See 
Ipecac 

Talcum powder, 48, 50 
Tea, 50, 61 

Teeth, black rims, or 
specks on, 18; brushing 



INDEX 



of, i8; care of children's, 
i8; first or milk, 19 

Teething, causes diarrhoea, 
18; causes vomiting, 18; 
causes fevers, 22 

Temperature, how to take, 
25 

Tent for crib, in bron- 
chitis, 29; croup, 32 

Thermometer, clinical, 24 

Throat, foreign bodies in, 
47; membrane, 36; sore- 
ness of, ZZ ; spots in, 35, 
36 ; swab for, 35 

Thrush, 45 

Tincture of larkspur. See 
Larkspur 

Toadstools, poisoning by, 
61 

Tonsils, enlarged, or 
swollen, 27, 37 

Tonsilitis, 34, 36 

Toothache, 19 

Typhoid fever. See Fe- 
vers 

Ulcers or cold sores, 46 



Unguentine, 40, 69 

Vaporizer, steam, 29 
Vaseline, 25, 60; carbol- 

ized, 70; white, 36 
Vermin in hair, 53 
Vomiting, 14; caused by 

teething, 18; curds, 15; 

of older children, 15 

Washing out bowels, 10; 

stomach, must be done 

by physician, 15 
Wheezing, in bronchitis, 27 
Whiskey, 41, 61, 70 
White precipitate ointment. 

See Ointments 
Whooping cough, 56 
Witchhazel, 70; for sore 

throat, 34; for swollen 

glands, i(^\ for bruises 

and sprains, 38 
Worms, cause convulsions, 

20 

Zoolak, 14 



11 



